In a piping system, there is a need to place monitors into the fluid stream which sense the pressure or temperature of the fluid stream along with any other measurements that need to be taken. Currently available devices, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,704 issued to Survil et al on May 22, 1990, are used to the placement of probes or other devices into a fluid stream. These devices are threadably connected onto a valve housing or other weldment and a probe is inserted through a elastomeric core which provides a seal during usage.
There exists a need to have gasses removed from the piping structure, either prior to filling the system with fluids or during usage as gasses may have been allowed to enter the closed system. The piping systems also need to be able to be drained after usage or for maintenance issues, hereby introducing the need to have gasses to be able enter the system to prevent a vacuum effect from being caused as the fluid is evacuated from the system. In the present state of the art, air vent devices are introduced to allow for gasses to enter into or to be exhausted therefrom the system. Each addition device needs to be able to interface with accessory ports located on the valve housing or weldments in the piping system. Each device needs a port and must be planned in advance of the system needs so that the ports are included on the valves. These extra ports increase cost to the valve housing and create opportunities for the introduction of contamination into the systems or present opportunities for leakages.
There exists a need to have the ability to combine as many functions into a single device to reduce the cost of manufacturing valve housings and other weldments. There exists a need to have a single device to be capable of receiving probes and the like, and also function as an air vent. There is also a need to have this device be manufactured in such a manner so as to reduce the number of parts required along with decreasing machining tolerances so as to reduce cost. There also exists a need not to have this device contain or rely on O-rings as a form of sealing the device from the escaping fluid flow. O-Rings required added maintenance as they will wear out and O-rings are very susceptible to failure due to chemical attack. Lubrication applied to these O-rings also introduce contaminates into the fluid flow.
There are currently available state of the art devices that combine a probe insertion through-hole along with an air vent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,317 issued to Brady et al on May 31, 2005, hereinafter referred to as '317, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,568 issued to Trantham on Feb. 25, 2003, hereinafter referred to as '568, are representative of the prior art available on the market today. Each one has a two piece design wherein the first body comprises the part of the device attached to a threaded port on the valve and a second body is threadably attached and located inside of the first body which contains a sealing core and the mechanism to allow for the ingress or egress of gasses. Both devices require the user to remove the second body from the first body. When an operator is instructed to obtain a pressure or temperature reading from a piping system, it is important that the operator remove any trapped gasses present in the system to insure a proper read. The operator will unscrew the cap at the top of the device, and will then have to unscrew the second body from the first body to relieve the system of built-up gasses. One difference between '317 and '568 is the route the release gasses take to atmosphere; '317 exits perpendicular to the valve body while '568 exits collinearly with the valve body.
Currently available prior art presents the following issues that are overcome with the disclosed invention. The first issue regards the number of threaded portions that need to be loosened to allow for the flow of gasses. First the user needs to unscrew the top cap. Should the cap require a wrench to unscrew the cap, the user is also required to place a counter rotating wrench on either the first body or the second body to prevent dislodgement of the first body from the threaded port or the second body from the first body. Unfortunately, the user either has to choose which body to counter-rotate or a second person needs to be present. Since the greatest majority of these devices are in locations where a single person has problems accessing these devices, a second person required will be very difficult. A single user can dislodge the non-held body which could lead to a blowout or potential injury from potential lethal escaping gasses. One object of this invention is to allow for only a single user to safely perform the uncapping and air release functions. Secondly, due to the design limitation, O-rings are required. '317 contains a sealing ring directly in fluid flow called the “operative element of the seal being an elastomeric ring” at column 3 line 15-16. '568 states that the “O-ring functions to prevent fluid media from seeping in between the inner sleeve and outer body and to direct fluid media to the appropriate flow passages” at column 4 lines 28-31. O-rings that come in contact with the fluid media will wear out under stress and repeated usage. O-rings also can introduce contamination into the fluid flow through their lubrication and composition. It is a further object of this invention to create a device that will eliminate the need for O-rings which will decrease or eliminate the need for maintenance or wear items. Thirdly, due to the complexity of the parts used in '317 and '568 along with the tolerancing needed to maintain the proper dimensions, the current state of art is an expensive device with many stages where a single manufacturing error will scrap the entire part. It is a further object of this invention to create a device whereby tolerancing is kept at acceptable manufacturing standards and where mechanical advantages through the use of straight threads is used to create a device which is more economically feasible. Fourthly, current state of art devices need to be safely designed to accommodate the safety and usability by the user. The released gasses in '568 are routed directly at the user through the top of the device. Patent '317 has a gas exit located along the outer first body but due to installation variables, such as how far it is tightened, the exit might be pointing directly at the user or away from him. It is a further object of this invention to create a device that will safely escape those gasses away from the user in the same direction regardless of orientation of the device.
By the above-described description of the objects of this invention to provide the functions required of this invention to allow for escapement of gasses in a piping system, it is understood that those who are skilled in the art could adapt or modify those elements presented in this disclosure in applications other than that described in the best mode of operating this invention. It is tacitly understood in the scope and spirit of this disclosure that those other devices would be incorporated into this invention.